Apparel stretching and drying frame



May 18, 1937. R. JESSEN APPAREL STRETCHING AND DRYING FRAME Filed June 5, 1955 INVENTOR. Lee 220 Jessen A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 18, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFECE Lee Roy Jessen, Wauwatosa, Wis.

Application June 3, 1935, Serial No. 24,693

1 Claim.

My invention relates to stretching and drying frames for apparel, and particularly to frames employed for stretching mens trousers. V

The invention resides in a frame of light skeleton construction, formed of two fiat members, adapted to lie in edge to edge relation, and relatively adjustable to and from each other in the plane in which they lie.

The means for effecting the relative adjustment referred to, is embodied in right-and-left screws, one such double-acting screw being arranged at each end of the frame, with its elongated ends entered oppositely in threaded openings extending through pivot blocks mounted for rotation in transverse openings in each of the ends of the frame members. intersecting openings in the ends of the frame members provide clearances to permit play of the elongated ends of the screws, when an adjustment is made through the double-acting screw at either end of the frame. At such times, the frame members pivot about the pivot blocks at the end of the frame, opposite to that at which the adjustment is being made, so that the incidental arcuate movement of the ends of the frame members in being separated, takes place without interference, on account of the clearances provided for the pivoting movements.

Apparel of the nature indicated is subject to shrinkage in cleaning, and this often results in discomfort and inconvenience to the person wearing the same, unless properly remedied. Moreover, a shrunken garment is unsightly. The relative adjustability or movement of the frame members of my invention away from each other will enable the secured garment to be readily conformed to its original proportions, which will be maintained in the garment when removed from the stretching frame.

After the frame members have been separated, by turning the screws at each end until the original proportions of the garment have been attained, the frame members, which are pivotally mounted upon each other, may be stabilized against a, shogging or racking longitudinal movement, by means of a lock nut threaded on one of the screws being run down into engagement with the inner face at the end of one of the members. By this means, the frame members will be held firmly in position during the stretching and cleaning operations.

when stretched, the garment may be removed from the frame, by reversal of the screws, so as to draw the frame members toward each other and release the garment from tension and frictional contact with the frame, whereupon, the garment may be removed without interference, and further pressed, if necessary to make it serviceable.

Having thus outlined the nature and purposes of my invention, I will now describe the particular construction shown, and will point out the novelty thereof in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a stretching and drying frame constructed in accordance with my invention, and showing in phantom a pair of trousers as being stretched thereon.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the line 2-2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing, the numerals Ill and II indicate the two separable fiat members of a frame constructed for use in connection with stretching and drying a pair of trousers. The frame members preferably comprise solid bars of wood or the like bored adjacent their ends to receive pivot blocks I6, in the form of cylinders, four of which are employed. The frame members are further provided adjacent their ends with transverse slots ll which extend transversely through the bars and through the bores IS.

The pivot blocks I6, are bored transversely at their longitudinal centers and threaded to receive the opposite ends of right-and-left screws 18, which latter have fixed at their midlength a knurled disc l9, by means of which the screws may be rotated in either direction, and the frame members ill and H caused to approach or separate from each other.

After scouring, a pair of trousers is appliedto the frame, and the screw at the lower end is turned to separate the frame members and. distend the trousers leg to its original proportions. In this action, the ends of the frame members then being separated, partake of an arcuate movement, at which time the opposite ends of the frame members will pivot on the pivot blocks 56, and the projecting ends of the screws It will play in the clearances provided in the openings ll. The width of the elliptical openings ll is only slightly larger than the diameter of the screws l8, so that the side walls of the said openings act to guide the screws, and prevent lateral distortion of the frame from 7 its flat position, under the resistance of the fabric during the distention of the latter.

The exterior contour lines of the frame members are shaped to conform to the cut of the garment. After scouring the garment and extracting the moisture, a frame with the members l and II in retracted position, will be inserted in one leg thereof. The lower screws will then be turned and the frame members distended until the original proportions of the garment in 5 the matter of width are attained. Then pull along the frame to attain the desired length, at the same time turning the upper screw to separate the upper ends of the frame members, and stretch the upper part of the legs. The frictional engagement of the cuff end of the leg with the frame members is sufficient to prevent slipping While being stretched for length. During the stretching operations, it is advisable to steam the trousers. The waist portion can be drawn to the right dimensions over the frame by steaming and pulling with the hands. After one leg has been stretched, the operations are repeated on the other leg. Remove the frame, and then place the trousers on the steam board.

On account of the pivotal mounting of the frame members, it is necessary that they be locked in position, to prevent longitudinal shogging or racking movement, which would distort the garment. To effect this locking movement,

I thread upon one or both of the screws IS, a knurled locking nut 20, and run it down into engagement with the inner face of the adjacent head of the frame member, thus locking both of the screws in normal relation to the plane of the inner faces of the frame members. When s0 locked, longitudinal movement of the one frame upon the other cannot take place.

The wide range of adjustability, enables the invention to be used in connection with trousers of every cut and pattern.

Various changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A frame for use in stretching and drying mens trousers, comprising two bars arranged in edgeto-edge relation and having exterior contours conforming to the cut of the trousers, each frame member having bores and intersecting transverse openings at its ends, pivot blocks mounted in the said bores, right-and-left screws threaded through the pivot blocks at the ends of said bars for separating said bars to stretch the trousers, and a locking nut on one of the screws adapted to engage one of said bars to prevent pivoting of the screw means during the stretching of the trousers.

LEE ROY JESSEN. 

